Summary of “What’s Right Rather than Wrong,
Using journals to teach writing and build self confidence”
by Rebecca Garland
Summary by Susan McClellan
In this article, Rebecca Garland explains how she used journal writing with a group of women to improve their writing skills and their self confidence. The students ranged in age from 18 to 60 years of age and included both native and non-native speakers of English. All the students were welfare mothers, a requirement of the program. They met the minimum requirement of a fifth grade reading and writing level.
Her students were unable to talk about what they were good at or even what they enjoyed doing and were passive with respect to their expectations for the class. For those reasons, the author decided to use a writing activity she had already been using every day to inspire the following changes in her students:
1. greater self-confidence
2. increased willingness to express their opinions in class,
3. a greater willingness to lead the class and teach each other
She realized that formal writing assignments such as essays and autobiographies would cause anxiety in her students, so she used journal writing to coax students into writing their life histories. The students were already comfortable with this type of writing since it was a daily activity in her class.
She changed the guiding questions from questions about the present to questions about the past. There was some initial resistance since, for many of the students; writing about the past brought back painful memories. They also needed to be encouraged to disregard spelling and grammar errors. Ms. Garland addressed spelling and mechanics by using excerpts from their journals (with the student’s permission) to teach them what they needed to know in those areas.
Not only did this approach succeed in achieving Ms. Garland’s original goals (1 – 3 above), it had the unanticipated outcome of increasing cultural pride and cultural awareness among the students. The students took more initiative in their own lives: some got jobs, one got a restraining order against an abusive partner, and others got drivers’ permits. Ultimately, the students wrote their autobiographies using journal entries.
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Every time I teach a writing course, I require my students to keep a journal and write 5-15 minutes a day (depending on their level). At first most don’t want to do it. “It’s too hard,” “I can’t write in English,” “It’s too long.” But by the end of the term they all admit that was the best way for them to learn to express themselves and their ideas in English. I explain to them that spelling and grammar are not important. It is important that they practice and feel comfortable with their fluency. Of course this means that all day Saturday, I read their journals. Sometimes I give them a topic, but often I ask them to write about whatever is in their hearts. Some of their stories are amazing. Sometimes, they write about a problem that they wouldn’t normally talk about in the classroom. I don’t offer advice, but I feel it is very good therapy in addition to learning English. I think in one way or another it is very empowering to many of them.
Mara, what wonderful practice! I am so glad to hear that you do this. Your students much really benefit from this. I would be interested to see the difference between your student’s test scores and students from other classes of the same level who do not do journal writing. I am convinced that journal writing makes a big difference for students on many levels. It’s just like you said, it’s great for them on an emotional level which gives them a connection to the class. I am sure that this probably helps with student persistence and learning retention. In addition, they get to practice writing and reading more which gives them a leg up in their basic skills as well as their English skills.